61 Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, XXXIX 1&2 (2018): 61-71 FARMERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS RICE PRODUCTION IN SELECTED AREAS OF MYMENSINGH DISTRICT Hurunnahar Khushi1, Md. Moniruzzaman2 and Nazia Tabassum2 ABSTRACT The study attempted to examine farmers’ attitudes towards rice production and also to identify factors influencing the attitudes. A total of 100 rice producers were selected purposively from four unions of Phulpur Upazila under Mymensingh district. Data were collected from mid-September to mid-October 2017 through face to face interview method. Five point Likert scale was used to examine farmers’ attitudes towards rice production. A multiple regression model was used to examine whether there are influencing factors (socio- economic characteristics) on the farmers’ attitudes towards rice production. By using the Likert scale, total score value for individual farmers was calculated and it was found that most of the farmers’ (98 percent) attitudes towards rice production were favored; and only 2 percent were un-favored attitudes towards rice production in the study area. Average score value for the individual statements were also estimated and found that score value was less than three for only three statements out of 20 statements, it also proved that most of the cases (85 per cent) farmer’s attitudes were favored towards rice production. The study found that level of education, occupation and farm size had significant influences on the farmers’ attitudes towards rice production. Key words: Farmers’ attitudes; rice production; Mymensingh district; likert scale I. INTRODUCTION Rice price plays an important role in the economy of Bangladesh. So fluctuation in rice prices has a great economic impact on the people of Bangladesh. Furthermore, price instability leads to uncertainty in the income of the producers. This uncertainty retards investment in agriculture resulting in slow growth of agricultural output (MoF, 2016). With a large proportion (23.2%) of the population living in poverty (BBS, 2016), increases in the price of staple foods can have a large impact on food security, particularly for rural populations. The disequilibrium of demand and supply in agriculture is a universal phenomenon. The nature of the supply, demand and output conditions in agriculture is such that it creates inherent instability. In the absence of any major shortfalls in the domestic availability of food grains, the rising price trends could be attributed to rising international prices. In fact, food price increases in international markets are transmitted quickly to Bangladesh. The economy of Bangladesh is primarily depended on agriculture, which contributes to about 15.35% to the gross domestic product (GDP) (BBS, 2016). As a staple food, per capita, rice consumption is about 367 gm/day (BBS, 2016) and it is the fourth largest rice consumer in the world (STATISTA, 2017). Bangladesh turns the world’s fourth largest rice producer after China, India, and Indonesia (USDA, 2017). It alone provides 76% of calorie intake and 66% of total protein requirement of daily food intake (BBS, 2016). The increasing rate of rice production has lessened slightly over the past few years compared to the rate of population increase. To meet the additional needs, the country needs to import rice every year. Around 15 lakh tonnes of coarse rice was imported in the 2014-15 fiscal year through the private sector (MoF, 2016). 1Lecturer, Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2Professor, Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. * Correspond author: Hurunnahar Khushi, Lecturer, Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Email: [email protected]. 62 The Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics Rice is the staple food for about 160 million people in Bangladesh. It is the dominant staple food in the country, accounting for about 35 percent of household expenditure. About 75 percent of the agricultural production originates in the crop sector alone in Bangladesh of which rice contributes about 80 percent (BBS, 2015). Bangladesh has a long history of rice cultivation. Rice is grown throughout the country except in the southeastern hilly areas. The agro-climatic conditions of the country are suitable for growing rice year-round. However, the national average rice yield is much lower (2.94 ton/ha) than that of other rice growing countries. The distribution of land for rice production stands for 74.85% which represents a lion share of land used for rice cultivation in Bangladesh (BBS, 2017). Many farmers switched from producing summer rice to jute, maize and vegetable cultivation due to higher returns. Bangladesh’s notification for mandatory use of bulk burlap bags for five agricultural commodities is driving demand for jute and farmers have responded by increasing jute cultivation, which is expected to be more profitable than summer rice. However, winter rice production was forecast marginally higher and was revised up to 18.8 million tons (World-Grain, 2016). Given the volatility of the prices of rice during the past few years of Bangladesh and on international markets and the negative impacts on both the poor farmers and consumers, there has been much concern over the efficient functioning of the marketing system. The key structural aspects of the rice market involve the number and concentration of the agents, the ease of entry into the business and the functions performed by relatively small establishments at various levels of marketing chain (Chowdhury, 1992 as cited in Raha.et al., 2013). A few studies (Bari, 2001; Ashaduzzaman 2003; Samad, 2010; Shah et al., 2015; Hasan et al., 2015; Abdullah et al., 2015; Rahman, 2015; Rahman, 2015; Chouichomet al., 20016) conducted which are related with this study. These studies were conducted to measure farmers’ attitudes mainly for specific variety of rice, specific season of rice, agrochemicals in rice production, risk in paddy production, and organic rice farming. But this study is little bit different; this study has considered rice as a whole for measuring farmers’ attitudes on it. Today, attitude occupies a central role in the theories and research regarding consumer behavior (Ajzen, 2008). As some researchers would put it - it is not only important, it is essential (Faris, 1928). In fact, the term 'attitude ' was introduced in social psychology as an explanatory device in an attempt to understand human behavior (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980). A fairly easy to understand definition is that attitudes represent what one likes and dislikes (Blackwell et. al, 2001), or the amount of positive and negative feelings one has towards an object (Schlenker, 1978). A consistent number of authors (Schlenker, 1978; Fishbein & Ajzen, 1980; Insko & Schopler, 1967; Peabody, 1967) expand and define attitudes as learned tendencies when responding to an object in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner. Sometimes, it is observed in print and electronic media that farmers are very loser for producing rice; they are not getting enough prices to cover its cost of production. They put their hands on forehead. They express their sorrowfulness. As rice producers are not happy to produce rice. Because they are not getting reasonable price of that; but still they are producing rice. So, question is, if it is not profitable, why are they producing it? What they are thinking about this? What is their attitude on rice production now and in future? In some areas, farmers are switching to other crops which are more profitable. In this perspective, an attempt has been taken to examine the farmers’ attitudes towards rice production and also examined which factors have influenced the farmers’ attitudes. Farmers’ Attitudes Towards Rice Production 63 II. METHODOLOGY The study was conducted in selected areas of the Mymensingh district. Mymensingh was the largest amount of rice producing district in Bangladesh. It produced 5.12 percent of the total amount of rice (BBS, 2017). Four unions (Poyari, Rahimgonj, Tarakanda, and Rupashi) of Phulpurupazila under Mymensingh district were selected purposively for the study. The study was based on primary data which were collected during the period from mid-September to mid- October, 2017. Data were collected from 100 selected farmers' through personal interview method. The farmers were categorized into three groups; small (farm size up to 2.49 acre), medium (farm size 2.50 acre to 7.49 acres), and large (farm size above 7.49 acres) and the categories had 45, 40 and 15 farmers respectively and they were selected by using purposive sampling technique. All data were carefully checked for completeness and summarization. Descriptive type statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentage) frequency tables, ranking, graphical analysis, etc. were used to examine the different attributes. Likert scale was used to measure farmers’ attitudes on rice production. To apply the Likert scale a series of items were compiled that expressed a wide range of attitudes, from extremely positive to extremely negative. Each item calls for checking one of five fixed alternative expressions such as “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neutral”, “disagree”, and “strongly disagree”. In this five point continuum, weights of 5,4,3,2,1 and 1,2,3,4,5 are assigned in case of positive and negative statements respectively. After that, a total score for each farmer is calculated by summing the value of each item that checked. Then the researchers determined a basis for the selection of items for the final scale. This can be done with item analysis. With item analysis, each item is subjected to a measurement of its ability to separate the highs from the lows. This is called the discriminative power (DP) of the item (Nachmias and Nachmias, 1992). DP = Q1 – Q2 Where, Q1 =range above the upper quartile Q2 = range below the lower quartile The DP value was computed for each of the scale items and those with the largest DP values are the items that best determinate among individuals expressing deferring attitudes toward the measured attitudes.